A TYPICAL INTERVIEW

The interview begins when you walk in the door. Make it your goal to impress the interviewer, the receptionist, and anyone else you meet – they all might be asked to weigh in on their impression of you.

FIRST IMPRESSSIONS

A few little things go a long way to making a good first impression:

Be on time

Have a confident posture

Look the part - Dress appropriately

Have a solid energy level

Make good eye contact

Give a firm handshake

Smile

MAKING SMALL TALK

The interviewer will likely try to put you at ease by asking simple questions that aren’t related to the opportunity or organization, like:

How you are

The weather

Your studies or activities you are involved in

Where you are from

Be interactive, smile, show some energy, remark on how you are looking forward to the interview, and ask about their day. This is where you can ask if it is okay to take notes.

THE INTERVIEW

The interview will transition to your interests, skills, knowledge, capabilities and work style and how they relate to the organization and opportunity. Typical topics could include:

Your interest in this position and/or organization

Your background and experiences

Your academic choices

Your career goals

Your plans for the future

TIPS:

Listen, pause to think, ask clarifying questions if necessary

Use examples to substantiate skills or traits

Avoid rambling when a shorter summary will do

Keep your responses specific to the opportunity or the work environment and its challenges or features.

ASKING QUESTIONS

Do you have any questions for me?... Always have questions prepared, it shows your interest in the position and it allows you to assess your fit with the opportunity and the organization. Here are some examples:

A year from now, what will success look like for this position?

What challenges do you see for the person in this role?

Are there opportunities for growth?

Where do you see the company 5 or 10 years from now?

How did you get your start in ___________?

What’s it like working for _____________?

CLOSING REMARKS

When you reach the end of your questions, summarize:

Desire to do this work for this organization

Confidence that your skills will help the organization reach its goals